Wheelbarrow.



B. A. CRAFT.

WHEELBARROW;

APPLICATION FILED JAN- IB, I9I6.

1,204,652. Patented Nov. 14, 1916.

Witnesse /x x I j I 4 v p Attorneys BERT A. CRAFT, OF HARPERSFIELD TOWNSHIP, OHIO.

WHEELIBARROW.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 14., 1916.

Application filed January 18, 1916. Serial No. 72,748.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, BERT zen of the United States, persfield township and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Vheelbarrow, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to wheelbarrows, one of the objects thereof being to provide a wheelbarrow which does not have legs for supporting it on the ground but, instead, has its body in the form of a-deep hopper which rests on the ground.

A further object is to provide a wheelbarrow the body of which has removable side panels which can,'if desired, be provided with pouring spouts whereby the contents of the body can be removed readily therefrom.

Another object is to provide novel means whereby the wheelbarrow is reinforced in the direction of its length.

A further object is to provide a novel form of wheel for use in connection with the device.

Nith the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides inthe combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction scribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In saiddrawings: Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through a wheelbarrow embodying the present improvements, said section being taken on the line A-B Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a plan view. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a portion of the body of the wheelbarrow. Fig. A is a section on line CD Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an enlarged section on line EF Fig. 1.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference '1 designates substantially U- shaped frame members preferably formed of T strips of iron or the like, the rear ends of these frame members being fixedly secured to handles 2 which are held fixed relative to the strips by braces 3. The front arms of the U-shaped members are shorter than the rear arms and are inclined at greater angles and merge into forwardly A. CRAFT, a citiresldlng 1n Har hereinafter deprojecting tongues 4 terminating in sleeves 5 which form bearings for a shaft or bearing pin 6. Seated snugly within and fixedly secured to the U-shaped members 1 is a hopper-shaped body 7-the front wall of which overhangs the tongues 1 and is connected thereto by upstanding braces 8 merging into reinforcing straps 9- extending along the front face-of the said wall. When the body is made of sheet metal the front, bottom and rear thereof are preferably made in one piece and the side edges of the front and back walls of the body are bent inwardly toward each other to form retaining flanges 10 while the side edges ofthe bottom portion'of the body are downturned as at 11 to form aprons or lips. The sides of the body are formed of separate panels which can be in either of two forms. One form of side panel has been indicated at 12 in Fig. 2 and is flat from end to end and designed to fit snugly between the front and back walls of the body, this panel having inwardly turned flanges 13 at the front and rear edges thereof adapted to. fit snugly against thefront and rear walls of the body. Pivotally connected to the outer face of the panel 12 are latches 14 designed, when the panel is in position, to lap the inturned flanges 10. Another form of side panel has been indicated at 15 in Figs. land 2 and is likewise formed in a single piece of sheet metal. This panel has an inturned flange 16 along the rear edge thereof adapted to be bolted or otherwise detachablysecured to the back wall of the body 7 The front portion of panel 15 is pressed outwardly to form a spout 17 and this spout merges into a flange 19 which extends in front of the front wall of the body 7 and is held thereto by means of rivets or the like. Obviously the body can be provided with two panels 15 or with two panels 12 or, if preferred, one of each form of panel. This last arrangement has been illustrated in Fig. 2. An arcuate brace 20 is secured at its ends to the handles 2 and at its center to the rear wall of the body 7 A wheel'is mounted for rotation on the bearing pin or shaft 6 and is preferably of the construction illustrated. This wheel includes a sleeve 21 having its end portions tapered as at 22, said sleeve being threaded adjacent its tapered portions as shown at 23. Extending about the central portion of the sleeve is a hub member 24 which serves to space apart two sheet metal disks 25 from which radiate spokes 26. These spokes are bowed transversely and have their outer ends provided with ears 27 which are riveted or otherwise fastened to the inner face of the rim 28' of the wheel. The disks 25 are clamped against the ends of the hub member 24 by nuts 29 engaging the threaded portions of the sleeve 21. Thus it will be seen that a very strong but inexpensive wheel is provided.

What is claimed is 1. A wheelbarrow including a hopper-like body, frame members extending along the front and back walls thereof and along the bottom of the body, those portions of the frame members along the bottom of the body being adapted to rest upon the ground .throughout the length of said portions,

tongues extending forwardly from said members, a wheel journaled between the tongues, and handles extending rearwardly from the members.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the 2. A wheelbarrow including a hopper-like body, a supporting wheel in front thereof and connected thereto, handles extending rearwardly from and connected to the body, said body having relatively fixed front and back walls, and side panels detachably connected to the walls, one of said panels ineluding a spout.

3. In a wheelbarrow, a hopper-like body formed of sheet metal and including relatively fixed front and back walls having inturned flanges at the side edges thereof, and side panels detachably secured to the flanged portions of the front and back walls, one of said panels including a spout.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

BERT A. CRAFT.

Witnesses GEORGE F. CONE, FRANK C. SITES.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

